


Holiday Horrors

by This_is_not_my_Penname



Series: Advent Ficlets 2018 [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Advent Ficlet Challenge 2018, F/M, Family, holiday stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-07 01:09:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16844101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/This_is_not_my_Penname/pseuds/This_is_not_my_Penname
Summary: For the Advent Ficlet Challenge Day 3: You Better Watch OutRiza's father tells her the stories of holiday monsters; The Mustang's babysitter tells their children the same kind of conversations.





	Holiday Horrors

Riza came running into her parents room, burying her face in her mother’s skirt. She was sobbing. Her mother scooped her up, sitting her down on the bed and drying her tears.

“What’s the matter, darling? Why are you crying? What happened?”

“D-daddy said… H-he said that… He said…”

“What did your father say, Riza?”

Riza continued to sob, shaking her head more. She couldn’t stop her tears. She was terrified and just thinking about her father’s words made her sobs begin anew. Her mother groaned.

“Berthold! Berthold, get in here and explain why our daughter is sobbing!”

There were footsteps in the hallway, and then Berthold Hawkeye poked his head into the room. “Oh… Oh Riza, I was only kidding. It was just a story.”

“Berthold?”

“It’s that old legend. The one about the holiday monster who eats naughty children. She kept coming into my study while I was working.”

“Berthold, apologize to our daughter.”

Riza heard more footsteps as her father crossed the room. She felt his hand on her back as he stroked it gently, trying to soothe her. “I’m sorry, Riza. Can you please forgive me? It’s just a story. The monster isn’t real.”

She hiccuped a few more times. “P-pwomise it’s not real?”

“I promise. There’s nothing to worry about. Please stop crying. You know that girls who cry don’t get any presents.”

Riza sniffled a few times, and then sat up, swiping at her tears with childish hands. “Okay… B-but if I get eated it’s your fault!”

Both her parents laughed, and Riza couldn’t help but smile.

***

Riza and Roy stepped in the door only for two tiny blurs to come racing out. Eleanor came first, followed closely by her little brother, Timothy. They were sobbing. Riza knelt immediately, wrapping her arms around both of them. “What’s wrong, you two? Why are you crying?”

“E-edward sayed we was gon get eated by a monster!”

“What?” Riza asked, her eyes going wide as she looked at her two sobbing angels. She glanced up to Roy, only to realize he was alone. He came out to the foyer moments later, dragging the babysitter -- a young man from down the street -- by his ear.

“Tell us what happened, please, Edward?” Riza asked softly, still stroking her children’s hair.

“I-it was just a joke! They were misbehaving so I told them about the monster who eats naughty children! They wouldn’t eat their vegetables a-and I was just getting frustrated!” Edward looked at the adults. “I-I didn’t mean to do them this upset, honest. I-I’m real sorry, Mister Mustang…”

“It’s fine, Edward,” Riza said before Roy could respond. “I’ll handle the children. Roy?”

“Of course, Riza.” She watched as Roy pulled Edward outside while Riza picked up the two children.

“I’m sorry that happened, my darlings,” she murmured, taking them up to their bedroom. “But you wanna know something? My father told me the very same story when I was about your age.”

“Weally?” Timothy asked quietly.

“Really. And I cried for a very long time because I was so scared…”

“B-but Mama’s not bad!” Eleanor protested.

“I was a little girl much like you two. But I promise, there isn’t a holiday monster who eats naughty children. But, I do know that children who cry don’t get any presents.” She watched as both children wiped their tears away, the same way she had done so long ago. “Now, into bed. And you can come get me or daddy if you can’t sleep. Okay?”

Eleanor and Timothy both climbed into their beds, nodding. “G’night, Mama,” Eleanor murmured. Riza smiled, kissing each of her children on their foreheads.

“Good night, you two.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments below!


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